


Changing Priorities

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe, Episode: s02e03 The Midterms, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-11-18
Updated: 2005-11-18
Packaged: 2019-05-30 17:28:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15101546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Donna is recovering in the hospital and Josh makes some big choices.





	Changing Priorities

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Kismet: Changing Priorities**

by: MeganFitz 

**Character(s):** Josh and Donna  
**Pairing(s):** Josh/Donna  
**Category(s):** Romance Comedy  
**Rating:** TEEN  
**Disclaimer:** They aren't mine, I wish they were, but they aren't. Sniff Sniff  
**Summary:** Donna is recovering in the hospital and Josh makes some big choices.  
**Author's Note:** This is an Alterative Universe story, (I've never written one before) The whole series takes place during the first and a little into the second session. Keep in mind its an AU so not everything will be perfect. 

This chapter originally had a scene with Santos and Russell in it, but it was cut because it really didn't fit. This chapter takes place mostly in the hospital while Donna is recovering. This chapter takes place during the Midterms. One maybe two chapters left in the story. 

Donna's hospital room was overcrowded with the Lonely Hearts Club Band as she referred to them in her head. Josh, Charlie, CJ, Jackson, Jefferson and Simon all flanked her bed. These were the people who visited constantly. The one who was really killing her was Charlie. He had at lost puppy look in his eyes and found it hard to even look at her. CJ was just as bad. Josh and his mother had been God sends, well his mother mostly. Her job was to keep Josh sane which in turn kept the nurses, doctors and the rest of the hospital staff sane. 

As bad as Donna felt physically, somehow it became her responsibility to help her friends. 

"Charlie, I want you to stop sulking… it was an honest mistake. I get mistaken for young black men all the time. Honest, two weeks ago the President asked me where a file was thinking I was you. And I really shouldn't tell you about the time Zoey make the mistake. Good thing there wasn't a reporter around or it would have been quite the scandal." Donne smirked and placed her hand on Charlie's and he was forced to smile. 

The agents visited often, but rarely spoke; Donna assumed they felt some level of responsibility for her injuries. She felt this was ridiculous because their job was to keep the president safe and since he was, it was a job well done. 

"You know, Jefferson I really can't remember much of the day." 

"Really?" He seemed concerned. 

"Yeah and maybe there's something you could help me with." 

"Sure, anything." 

"Why is there a condom in my purse?" A devilish grin crossed her face, she enjoyed watching him loose his cool. 

Jefferson scratched at his ear and after two false starts which made his fellow agents smirk, he finally managed to say, "because you're a hussy." 

Donna raised her eyebrows, "Really? I am?" 

"Yeah," Jefferson sucked in a deep breath, "you were living life like one of those "Sex in the City" girls. Actually we were all a little worried about you." He stared at Donna blank face. "You don't believe any of this do you?" 

"I can't remember anything that happened at the Newuem, but the rest of the day is very clear." 

"Oh." Jefferson frowned and rubbed his neck. 

"Yeah, 'Oh" is right." Donna rolled her eyes at the agent and look at CJ who was staring at Donna's nails. "You checking out my manicure?" 

"It's really amazing." CJ agreed. 

"Yeah, I take one to the chest but my nails aren't chipped, pretty freaking remarkable huh?" 

CJ nodded. 

All of Donna's light hearted joking was to change the deeply depressing mood in the room. When she started this her priorities was to make everyone feel better, but now her brain was getting foggy and her lungs were hurting. She had to make this quick. 

"Ok so You're all here because for one reason or another you think its your fault I got hurt. Right?" No one responded, so she took that as a yes. "It is your fault. Blame yourself. Hold on to the feeling of regret and shame that is currently living in your stomach. Got it?" She looked at the unreadable faces. She nodded. "Good, now get over it." Readable faces became understandable. "Get over it or I'll kick your ass." 

Simon started to laugh. 

"What is so funny?" 

"You have a hole in your chest, how do you expect to kick anyone's ass." 

"Oh, I've taken down bigger men then you." 

"Really how?" he answer rather cocky. 

A small pout crossed her lips and in sugary sweet voice, "I'm getting a little thirst could you hand me that glass?" 

Simon reached for the glass, handed it to her, realized he was totally under the control of her pout and whispered, "Damn you're good." 

She smiled sleepy and looked at Josh. 

"Ok everyone we have a country to run." Josh started to usher out the people and as always he lingered behind. He kissed her forehead and told her he would be back tomorrow. He hated leaving her, he wished he could stay the night on the chair like he did the first two nights, but Olga the Mean Nurse found out that they weren't married or related so he was forced to leave at night. 

Donna held his wrist as his lips pulled away, "Josh, you too. I need you to get over it, none of this wasn't your fault." 

He kissed her lightly on the lips and nodded. 

He didn't believe it and she knew it. He pointed to the snicker doodles Donna forced him to buy for Simon. "Oh I forgot." Donna admitted. 

"I'll give them too him." 

"Thanks Josh." 

"Anytime." 

He walked out of her room, his taste still on her lips. She hated watching him leave. 

He came to the hospital so often; he knew the staff's name, shifts and personalities. Donna had three doctors who all checked for different things; Josh still didn't really understand what they did. Out of the large array of nurses that came and went, Cindy Bell was his favorite. She didn't take crap from anyone; in fact three days ago she kicked the president out of Donna's room because there were too many people in at one time. Cindy took time to be with Donna, not because she was high profile, an Aid in the White House or a personal friend to the President but because Cindy liked Donna. Most of the time when he visited, Cindy was near by. 

Josh visited the hospital twice a day, during what should be his lunch break and after work. The afternoon visit he rarely came alone. This time Toby and Sam joined him, which is why Josh preferred his nightly visits instead. 

Someone caught Josh's eye. "What the hell are you doing here?" Josh started at a man walking down the hallway with flowers. Sam recognized him but couldn't place him. 

When Toby recognized the man he added bitterly, "I didn't recognize you with all your clothes on." 

"Look can I see her?" the man asked, not bitterly more like pleading. 

Josh told him to wait and reluctantly he walked into Donna's room. 

She smiled brightly, "Josh, Harry just found out he's a wizard." Cindy was reading a children's book to her. 

"Um, well he does go to Hogworth's School of Wizardry and he is flying a broom." 

"Oh I see you read the front and back cover of a book and you're an expert." Donna laughed. Josh smiled but shifted uncomfortably from side to side. "What's up?" 

"Kevin's here." 

"Who's Kev… my ex boyfriend. That Kevin?" 

"Yeah." 

Cindy perked up, "oh juicy, can I stay and watch." 

"Do you want to see him?" Josh watched at he wiggled his feet and the leather barely moved. 

"I think I should. It's a long flight from Madison." 

He hated himself for asking the question, "Do you want to be alone?" 

She smiled understandingly, "well I think the door should be open and if you happen to be in the hallway listening in, there isn't much I can do about that." 

He nodded still looking at the floor. 

Kevin walked in causally, lifted the flowers and dropped them down. He was a doctor, he had seen thousands of people hooked up to machines and tubes, and nothing should faze him about this. But it was Donna hooked up to theses machines and tubes, she was supposed to be his wife, mother of his children. She wouldn't have been too, if he hadn't cheated on her. If she never left, she wouldn't have been in here. He blamed himself for all of this. 

Before Cindy left the room she mouthed, "he's cute," to Donna. Donna rolled her eyes. 

"Hi." 

"Hi." Donna pointed to the chair. 

"This is a nice room." He looked around. "A lot better then at my hospital." 

"Well, I'm in good with the President so the gave me the deluxe suite." 

"It's like a rainforest in here." He said with a laugh, but she looked at he curiously. "Um, you know with all the flowers." 

"Ok." 

The silence of deafening and horrible, he picked at the flowers and she wiggled her toes. She hated uncomfortable silence, it make her antsy and frustrated. 

"So how's everything going?" He asked and immediately regretted it. 

"Well, I got shot two weeks ago so thing have been better." 

"I would have come sooner… but I didn't think they would let guests in and um, I…" 

"Its fine, I'm glad you're here." 

Kevin looked up hopefully. "Um, really?" 

She wanted to say that she liked visitors they made the day go faster, but she didn't. There wasn't a reason to be mean or snarky. Not today. "Yes, I do." 

Kevin grabbed her hands, "Come home with me Donna." 

There were four gasps from the hallway, Josh, Toby, Sam and Cindy, Donna assumed. 

She looked at her ex as if he was nuts, "no!" 

"But why not?" 

"Because I live here now. Because we didn't like each other every much when we were together. Oh Kevin, we would be miserable." 

"But it's my fault this happened to you." 

"Yeah you and half of DC." Donna muttered under her breath, "is that why you came here to convince me to go back to Madison where I was painfully unhappy?" 

"No I brought you flowers too." He tried to smile. "How's Baxter?" 

"Fine, he likes to climb on top of the cabinets and chase the laser pointer." 

"I lied." 

"When? I am going to need you to be more specific." 

He pulled out an envelope with pictures, "about Bax's kitten pictures, I told you I didn't have any." He handed them to her. 

"Thank you." 

He sighed and rubbed his temples, "I was a shitty boyfriend wasn't I." 

"Yeah." 

"Sorry about that." 

"You should be." She nudged him with a half smile. 

"Have you spoken to your family?" 

"No." 

"Not surprising, they're assholes." 

"Kevin, I am not lacking for family here. Between Sam, Toby, the agents, I have tons of brothers. I have like two dads and three moms and more sisters then I can shake a stick at. Although I don't know why I would be shaking sticks at them." 

"Josh is he family?" 

"No, he's different." An indescribable smile crossed Donna's face as she watched her fingers wiggle. 

"I can tell. Donna, let me look out for your crappy family for a while, keep an eye on them." 

"You don't have to do that." 

"I know, but I was a crappy boyfriend, let me do this for you." 

She nodded and changed the topic, "So how are things with you?" 

"Not so good I am being investigated by the IRS." 

Donna cocked her eyebrows, "JOSHUA!" 

The accused pop his head in, "I know what you're thinking but it wasn't me." 

Donna's eyebrow raised but Josh insisted, "I was going to go after his medical license." 

This didn't help matters. Toby and Sam entered the doorway. Toby spoke first, "In all fairness you were unnecessarily mean to her when we last met." 

"In all fairness you broke into my apartment." The Doctor added bitterly. 

"Touché." 

"We'll stop the investigation." Toby conceded. 

Sam finally choked out, "you really consider us family?" 

Donna nodded. 

"I have to go for a walk." Sam announced as his eyes started to water up. 

Kevin left later that day with no fan fare or fights. Donna shut the door on her old life for a while and returned her attention to the life she had formed for herself here. 

"End of discussion." Josh stated, but the way his mother, Donna and Cindy were staring at him, it was the end at all. 

"Joshua, there are plenty of problems with that plan." 

"No mother there isn't." Donna was checking out of the hospital in two days and Josh announced she was going to be living with him and Cindy was going to be her nurse. Of course neither Cindy nor Donna knew this prior to the announcement. 

"Problem one I already have a job." Cindy stated. 

"Take a leave of absence. You'll be making ten thousand dollars a month." 

Cindy blinked. "No more problem on my end." 

"And why should she stay with you, my son?" 

"Because my place has more room, it closer to the hospital and her place there is a very good likelihood she could get shot while she's recovering." 

Josh did have a point with the last one. Donna had to admit her neighborhood wasn't the safest or cleanest. But Josh's mother didn't know that and she continued her cross examination. 

"And were do you propose she sleep?" 

"In my bed." Josh stated matter of factly. 

"So this is an elaborate plan to what are the kids saying now a days, "tap that ass." Is that what you are trying to do?" 

Horror washed over Josh, he couldn't believe what his mother was accusing him of. "No Mother I am not trying to "tap that ass". 

"Why not, don't you think Donna's attractive?" Cindy bated him. 

"Of course I do, I think she's… um… but I'm not doing this so she.. so…we…um… NO!" He started to rub his head harder and pace around the room. 

The women exchanged satisfied glances. "Well, Joshua where are you going to sleep?" 

"Jesus Christ, mother." 

"Honey, we're Jewish it really don't have the same effect. Now answer the damn question." 

"On the couch." 

"For two and a half months, oh I don't think so. No, she isn't moving in unless you have a bed to sleep in." 

"I already have a bed." Josh muttered, "I'll buy one for the spare room, ok Mother?" 

"Make it a queen with a pillow top and Donna gets to pick out the sheets." 

"Fine whatever. Is this the end of the discussion?" 

Josh's mom and Cindy both nodded, but Donna spoke. "No and I want to speak to you alone." The other women took their cues. 

Josh sat down next to her and held her hand. "What's wrong?" 

"What's wrong? You just changed my life without even asking me! AND you told your mother you don't want to have sex with me." 

"Donna my mother is the person I never want to discuss my sex life with and quite frankly you shouldn't be discussing it either." 

"What happened to your concern over a political scandal, now you want me to shack up with you?" 

"Donna!" He found himself yelling and not waiting too. 

"JOSH!" She was using the last bit of her strength to yell. 

He sighed, "Donna, things changes and a scandal isn't my top concern, you and your safety are." 

She rubbed her thumb against his and whispered, "I'm sorry." They made eye contact, "I am sorry your mother is using me as an excuse for you to buy a bed." 

"She's been wanting one for a long time." He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles lightly, "Donna will you please move in with me while you are healing? It would make me feel better knowing you are in a safe place while you are recuperating. I promise not to drive you crazy and buy you ice cream when you want it. As for sleeping agreements I will sleep on the couch until my new guest bed comes where I will spend the rest of the time. Deal?" 

She wanted to ask why he was doing this, was it because he felt guilty about the shooting or was it for any other reason, deeper, and more. But she was too scared of the answer. "Ice cream whenever I want?" 

"Yep." 

"You got a good TV?" 

"I have five of them." 

"Deal." She smiled and he kissed her forehead. "You know you have to talk to Leo, right." 

"I know." 

Later that night Josh entered Leo's office cautiously. Leo didn't look from his papers and pointed to the chair. Josh swallowed and uttered, "Um, Leo I asked Donna to move in with me while she heals." 

"Ok." Leo didn't look up. None of this was a surprise Josh's mother had already called him. 

"I think I am going to need to cut back my hours a little bit too." 

"Like what?" He still didn't look up. 

"I want to be out of the office by nine at the latest, only a half day on Saturdays and I will not come in on Sundays unless it is an emergency." 

"Fine." Leo's eyes were still focused on the report he was reading. 

"I don't want to travel either." 

That got the elder's attention, "I can't guarantee that." 

"I am not leaving her." 

"You're job will be to get anyone up for re-election elected. We want new blood and I want to have a majority in the house. If I need you to travel, you'll do it." 

"Not now." 

"Fine, closer to the election, no longer then a week." 

"Three days." 

"Five." 

"Deal." Leo watched this very different Josh Lyman leave stand to leave his office. "Sit down, we need to talk." 

Josh did as he was told, and the elder man sighed, rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands, and stated, "You aren't good with women, especially when they are upset." 

Josh frowned and with disgust uttered, "Gee, thanks." 

"You stutter and get flustered, it's a fact, deal with it. I am going to give you advice because right now, your life isn't going to be about you, but Donna. I know this is a first for you so listen to what I have to say." 

While Josh was offended, he nodded, "Ok." 

"When a woman is upset, crying or just angry, she will list off every reason for her feelings. The real reason might or might not be in that list." 

"Then how do I know what's really brothering her?" 

"I don't know. But you might be able to pick something off the list and fix it. Here's an example: She crying on the couch, you aren't sure if you did something or not, you ask 'what's wrong.' She says, 'I got in a fight with my mother, slammed my hand in the car door, there's no cheese in the fridge, the kids are sick and you came home late.' What is really bothering her?" 

"Um… the fight with her mom?" 

"Maybe, it could be that you came home late too. It could just be a bad day. How do you fix it?" 

Josh puffed out his cheeks and admitted, "I have no clue." 

"You hold her, tell her how sorry you are she's having a bad day, promise to come home early the next day and you will pick up some cheese on the way home. Oh and you might what to examine her hand to see if it's really hurt. Pick things off the list you can fix and do it. That's the trick; you have to be able to really fix the problem not just say you are going to do it. The sooner the better." 

Feeling more confident Josh stood up, "Thanks Leo." Then he froze, and reality hit, "um didn't Jenny leave you?" Perhaps Leo wasn't the one he should be taking advice from. 

"My priorities changed, not for the better of my marriage and I couldn't fix anything on the list." Leo went back to reading his report. He heard Josh leave and a swell of pride grew in him. Leo had been a witness of Josh's slow progress from child to man over the years. For a long time Leo questioned the happiness of his junior's future. Tonight he was certain it was going to be a bright one. 


End file.
